BANGKOK (Oct. 25) — Thailand’s Queen Mother Srikath, who gave new glory and prestige to the royal family in the post-war era and who later became occasionally active in politics, has died at the age of 93. He died on Friday night, according to the royal palace.
Sriket retired from public life in 2012 after a stroke. According to Mahal, she had been undergoing treatment in the hospital since 2019 due to various ailments and suffered from a blood infection on October 17.
A year-long mourning has been declared for members of the royal family and the palace.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charan Virkal has cancelled his participation in the ASEAN summit in Malaysia due to the death of the Queen Mother. The cabinet will consider arrangements for the royal funeral on Saturday.
The fashion icon who inspired the world Srikat’s husband, King Bhumibol Adaliyadej, reigned for 70 years, the longest reign in Thai history. Sriketa was always with him and both of them won the hearts of the people through their charitable work.
When she went abroad, she became the center of attention of the international media due to her beauty and fashion. During a visit to the United States in 1960, when she attended a dinner at the White House, Time magazine described her as “attractive” and “a symbol of female power.” The French newspaper L’Aurore called him “charming”.
Born in 1932, Srikat Katyakra was the daughter of the Thai ambassador to France at the time. He studied music and language in Paris, where he met Bhumi Bol, who grew up in Switzerland.
“The first meeting wasn’t good, he came late,” he said in a BBC documentary. Then there was love. The two got engaged in 1949 and got married a year later. Srikath was only 17 years old at the time.
Srikath always showed a special taste in fashion. She collaborated with French designer Pierre Balmain to create Thai silk garments and revived the popularity of Thai silk fabric by promoting the traditional weaving industry.
A pioneer of rural development, she accompanied the king to rural areas for four decades, overseeing development projects against poverty. These activities were broadcast daily on the Royal Bulletin.
In 1956, when the king spent two weeks becoming a Buddhist monk, she briefly became the country’s caretaker. In 1976, her birthday was declared August 12 as “Mother’s Day” and a national holiday.
